What We Do

Programs

We believe that no breast cancer patient should suffer through financial stress while in the midst of treatment.

Here you will learn more about qualifications for financial assistance and the types of funds that Sense of Security provides while you are in breast cancer treatment.


View criteria for receiving financial assistance from Sense of Security. Please note that we do not pay for medical costs (including co-pays, medication, and other out-of-pocket expenses).


Sense of Security can fund the following expenses while you are receiving breast cancer treatment.


  • Mortgage or rent
  • Medical insurance premiums
  • Transportation costs
  • Child care
  • Utilities
  • Groceries


Monthly assistance is available as long as Residency, Medical, and Financial criteria are met up to a maximum of six months.

Sense of Security will not be able to meet all your financial needs while you are undergoing breast cancer treatment.
We strongly encourage you to explore all other options for assistance during your treatment.


Please visit our partner Triage Cancer's Colorado Resource page for information about legal assistance, financial navigation, and Colorado resources that may be of assistance to you and your family.


Additionally findhelp.org provides links to resources by zip code area and has been of assistance to many of our applicants.


Application process: Please read the application criteria and directions before applying. Click on a link below to access the application - they are all PDF fillable documents that must be completed by both the patient AND the oncology provider.


The Sustained Assistance Program Application


Spanish Language Sustained Assistance Application (Solicitud de asistencia financiera sostenida)


Emergency Grant for Stage 0 and I applicants and those who cannot wait 6+ months on waitlist. This prohibits you from receiving a Sustained Assistance grant (6x$500 monthly grants).


The Sue Miller Memorial Survivor's Assistance Grant


If you cannot access the applications online, please request one at (303) 669-3113. You may also email grants@senseofsecurity.org to request either a digital or hard copy of the application.


Sustained Financial Assistance Program

Learn more about qualifications for financial assistance and the types of funds that Sense of Security provides while you are in breast cancer treatment.


Sense of Security can fund the following expenses while you are receiving breast cancer treatment:

  • Mortgage or rent
  • Medical insurance premiums
  • Transportation costs
  • Child care
  • Utilities
  • Groceries

Survivor's Grant Program


Breast Box Mastectomy Support

Sense of Security is pleased to announce that we are partnering with Breast Box Mastectomy Support. Breast Box Mastectomy Support is based in Denver and sends boxes filled with free recovery items to people going through breast cancer, mastectomy, and/or reconstruction.


Donations using the link below will be restricted to this project and be used to purchase materials to assemble the boxes and distribute them to women in a timely manner.


Each Box Contains: Mastectomy Pillow, Kelly Bee PJs With Pockets For Drains, Drain Belt, Mesh Drain Holder, Drain Kit (Containing information on Jackson-Pratt drains and how to care for them), Notebook, Sage and Aqua Handmade Moisturizing Salve. Colorado Recipients will also receive a Free Hair Wash or Buzz Cut From Naomi Mathias, Hairstylist, Denver Hair Design. They have an estimated value of $150 per box.


Thank you for helping ease the recovery of these individuals through your generous support.

For questions, please contact us directly at (303) 669-3113 and we will gladly assist you in filling out the application. 


You can print and complete the Sense of Security Application and mail the original document to the address below. Do not send tax documents (returns, etc).


Sense of Security

1385 S. Colorado Blvd., Suite A-714

Denver, CO 80222


If you have already completed an application for Ray of Hope Cancer Foundation, your patient navigator may send that application to us instead of our application.

Criteria for Receiving Financial Assistance

Residency

  • You must be living in the State of Colorado. We require a clear copy either an ID listing a Colorado address or a public utility bill showing your name.


Medical

  • In light of our longer than desired wait-list for assistance, the Board of Directors modified the medical requirements to be a diagnosis of stage II, III, IV or MBC for 2020. Stages 0 and I are not currently eligible as the accepted-treatment time is often less than the estimated time an applicant may expect to wait for a grant (up to 8 months currently). Patients who are diagnosed at stages 0 and I may apply for an emergency, one-time $500 grant, and, if available at the time of application, they may be approved.


  • You must have been diagnosed with breast cancer and be within two months after having breast cancer surgery (mastectomy, lumpectomy, axillary dissection, or sentinel node biopsy); and/or currently undergoing chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.


  • Please note that reconstruction or related complications and hormonal therapies do NOT qualify for assistance from Sense of Security.


Financial

  • Income: Your total household income from all sources (including wages, government assistance, and retirement funds if you are already retired) at the time of application MUST be less than the Area Median Income for the county in which you live ( we have that information). Additionally, your monthly expenses MUST exceed your monthly income to qualify for assistance.


  • Assets: Your cash or liquid assets (i.e., CDs, stocks, mutual funds) MUST be less than your expenses for the duration of treatment AND you may not own secondary real property or other liquid real or personal property. (Sense of Security does not require you to sell your primary residence, vehicle, or personal items to qualify for assistance from us. We may, however, disqualify you from receiving assistance or reduce the amount of assistance we offer, if you have liquid assets that could be used to pay your expenses.)


  • Assistance in paying mortgage: If you ask for help in paying your mortgage, the value of your home MUST be less than the median home sales price for the county you live in (we have that information). In order for us to make this determination, you will need to provide a copy of the current year's property tax assessment. If your mortgage does not qualify for assistance from us, we may still be able to provide you with assistance in other areas.


  • Community and Government Resources: Sense of Security does not have enough resources to meet all your financial needs; we very strongly suggest that you apply for all community and government resources available. 

FAQs

  • How do patients find out about your service?

    We receive most of our referrals from social workers and oncology office navigators in area hospitals and medical offices. Some applicants are referred by former grantees, directly from the web site, through support groups, and by word of mouth from family and friends.

  • How did you get started?

    We founded the organization based on the experience of one woman, Donna Rogers. You can read more about this story under "About Us: History."

  • Are there similar organizations in Colorado or in the U.S. that do what you do?

    There are no organizations in Colorado that currently provide the breadth of services that Sense of Security provides for breast cancer patients. Some organizations in Colorado do exist to provide transitional housing, emergency assistance, housekeeping, support for alternative treatments, pleasurable outings, one-time stipends of aid, or prepared food if you are unable to cook for yourself. Visit findhelp.org and you can search for all forms of assistance available to you by zip code and type of assistance.

  • Regarding your criteria, what treatment procedures do you consider "active treatment?"

    Sense of Security defines active treatment as conventional chemotherapy treatments, and/or radiation treatments. We also assist patients who are within 2 months of a cancer-related surgery (reconstruction and related complications do not qualify). Hormonal therapies when administered alone do not qualify for our program, except Herceptin. However, if they are administered in conjunction with a qualified treatment, one could medically qualify for our program.

  • How many people have you helped?

    As of December 2022, Sense of Security provided aid to nearly 2,200 grantees who finished the program. We maintain a wait-list which is addressed as quickly as possible.

  • How much assistance in dollars have you provided to grantees?

    As of December 2022, Sense of Security has provided more than $2,200,000 in funding. Support levels depend on the specific individual circumstances and needs of each applicant. See "Programs: Statistics" for additional information on applicants and grantee statistics.

  • How much of your budget goes directly to patient services?

    We make every attempt to dedicate at least 80 percent of our budget to grantee services; this includes moneys paid directly for grantee needs, staff and administrative time and resources, and expenses related to fundraising for programmatic needs.

  • For how long do you assist grantees?

    Grantees qualify for assistance as long as they remain eligible for treatment and financial criteria. The maximum duration of support for any grantee is 6 months per stage of diagnosis for a total grant of $3,000. We allow one full grant per person and cannot offer more than the maximum grant.

  • I don't live in Denver or in a major metropolitan area in the state, would you be able to help me?

    Sense of Security will assist ANY resident of Colorado. Our service is not dependent upon a physical location; you do not need to come into an office for an interview or have any face-to-face meeting with our staff and you do not have to reside in a metropolitan area of the state to qualify for aid.


    Most communication is done by telephone and everything a grantee needs can be sent in the mail, found on this website or faxed. Our criteria has been established to be county specific, so your personal situation will be compared to those who reside in your home county, not to the state as a whole or to others in a metropolitan county.

  • What has been the most requested form of assistance?

    Sense of Security has provided the majority of its aid for housing assistance (mortgage and rent payments) - over 74 percent.

  • Should I apply to Sense of Security as soon as I am diagnosed?

    Sense of Security is a provider of last resort. This means that we expect you to explore and exhaust all other forms of financial assistance-including but not limited to state and federal government aid programs-before we can process your application. However, we can help you with this!


    You are encouraged to apply early in your treatment protocol because we maintain a waitlist for applicants that can run anywhere from 6 to 10 months. Applying earlier may enable you to qualify for funding before the end of your treatment cycle, waiting may disqualify you.


    The reason we have this requirement is that we believe everyone eligible should seek out all the aid they could qualify for, whether public aid or community aid. Keep in mind that we only require you apply to these programs before applying to Sense of Security; as long as you document your applications to the aid programs, Sense of Security can begin processing your application.

  • How do you decide who to help?

    You must meet our criteria: be a resident of Colorado, be in a qualified treatment for breast cancer, and have a household income less than the median per capita personal income for the county in which you reside (Sense of Security has this information, don't worry!).


    After that, we do an analysis of your actual income and expenses and determine if there is a reduction in income and an income shortfall. In other words, if your income is greater than your expenses, you have no need for financial assistance. However, if your expenses are greater than your income, we will consider providing assistance based on the amount of your shortfall.


    Of course this varies from person to person, so every applicant will be confidentially interviewed by telephone to determine his/her financial need. If you are requesting assistance with your mortgage payments, you need to meet one additional criteria: the value of your home cannot exceed the median value for the county in which you reside (Sense of Security has this information). If you would like assistance with your mortgage payment, you are required to submit with your application a copy of your current year's property tax assessment.

  • How exactly do you provide your assistance? Will I get a check every month?

    Sense of Security provides its aid in the form of payments made directly to your vendors that we will mail to you to disperse. For example, if we are paying toward your monthly rent and utility bills, you are responsible for sending complete invoices/bills to us and we will issue checks to those vendors and send the checks to you to remit to the vendor with any remaining balance (ie your rent is $1,000, we pay $500, you pay $500, send both payments to your landlord). Grantees are required to provide the full, original bill so that we can accurately make payments on their behalf.

Testimonials

Christine Howard's Story


Grantee Story: Marcella Starr Barnett

Life before breast cancer


In 2008, Marcella Starr Barnett was working full time, raising her two children, volunteering and learning country line dance.


In March of that year, her life changed forever. She was diagnosed with Triple Negative Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Coincidentally, her parents moved to Colorado from Cleveland, Ohio to allow Marcella to assist with their care. Little did they know, they would end up taking care of Marcella during her treatment instead. “At first, my husband and I just cried together, and we felt terribly helpless, like I might die the next day. Then we learned about Sense of Security.”


Marcella had a lumpectomy and four months of chemotherapy and radiation. She volunteered for a long-term drug trial which helped keep the cancer at bay. In between the diagnosis and surgery, she attended her first Sue Miller Day of Caring Conference where she learned about resources for coping with the disease and began to see that she was not alone in her fight.

Marcella’s nurse navigator referred her to Sense of Security after her diagnosis; she was on the waiting list for most of the year. Eventually, she received three months of grocery gift cards, which helped her get nutritious meals when she felt like eating. “During treatment I couldn’t eat much because everything tasted like a rusty spoon. I relied on a daily Wendy’s Frosty® to numb my taste buds.” she said.


Dear Grandmama 


Over the years, Marcella encouraged her children to keep in touch with their grandparents back in Ohio. Unbeknownst to her, Marcella’s mother kept over 100 handwritten letters from her six grandchildren for more than three decades. Marcella remembers, “My mother gave me the letters in May 2012; it took my son and I more than a year to figure out how to self-publish them within a book.

On Mother’s Day of 2014, we presented Dear Grandmama, A Collection of Love Through the Decades, to her. My mother had no idea that we had put together a book of the grandchildren's letters, and was both surprised and thrilled to receive it."


Paying it forward


Today, Marcella is retired and still cares for her 92 year-old mother and helps with looking after her 3 year-old granddaughter. She enjoys serving on the City of Aurora, (CAC) Citizen Advisory Committee for Community Development and Housing. To pay it forward, she volunteered as a model at the 2015 Day of Caring event and attends monthly survivor support group meetings. "Sense of Security was the silent assistance you hoped you would never need, and I give thanks every day that they were there to help pick up the pieces when things seemed bleak."

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